The Eugene Chapter is a Volunteer-Run Organization
I’d like to talk for a moment about volunteering and share some of my personal experience. I started organizing Weston A. Price gatherings in Eugene because I wanted to meet other people who eat this way, and because I wanted my (at that time not yet born) son to grow up knowing that this is the normal, healthy way to eat. I continue to volunteer my time to the Eugene Chapter because I enjoy it and I still have the same goals for the health of my family. My point here is that I don’t do this solely for altruistic reasons; to a large extent my reasons are personal (and you might even say selfish).
I would like you to consider for a moment what you would like to see available in Eugene. What are your goals? What do you get out of the Eugene Chapter? What would you like to see offered? Would you like to attend food preparation classes? Do you want to change the word, change laws, change school lunch policies, put an end to GMOs or see raw milk available in stores? Would you like to see the creation of Eugene Chapter recipe book? Do you want to improve your own health? Or do you want to make the world a better place for your children and grandchildren?
Then think for a moment about what you can put into those goals. Are you so filled with information about nutrition that you are practically bursting at the seams to share it? Or are you so new to this that you feel overwhelmed? Do you have time to volunteer an hour once a year, once a month, once a week? Do you have space available to host a potluck? Do you have skills in writing, organizing, bookkeeping, or layout design? Can you make phone calls, post flyers, or take notes?
We have room in this organization for all types of skills and involvement level.
Here are a few things that I have thought of:
- Host a potluck
- Take notes at meetings
- Phone call people without email
- Assist with webpage design and/or updates
- Bookkeeping using QuickBooks
- Respond to emails
- Pack and ship Kraut Pounders
- Help with organization
- Plan food preparation classes
- Teach classes
- And more… If you have other ideas just let us know.
If you want to volunteer in order to help me out, that is great. If you want to volunteer in order to help the community, wonderful. But if you want to volunteer in order to further your own goals, I think that is where our real strength comes from. The future of the Eugene Chapter is literally shaped by those who put energy into it.
I must say however, if you are one of those people who’s life is so busy that you don’t have time or energy to add a single thing, don’t feel bad about not doing more. Taking care of yourself, and feeding yourself and your family nutrient-dense food has to come first. Because when it comes right down to it that is what The Weston A. Price Foundation is all about.
~ Lisa
